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FEATURE

34

The Gates of Opportunity

Opportunity flows freely for troubled teens
who want to turn their lives around for the
better, and they have Judge John M. Phillips
to thank.
By Cameron Douglas

28 Life in a Twoâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Wheel Fastlane

12

By Don Huntington
& Andrea Stuart

44 Carmelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vagabond Host

By Raymond Napolitano

66 At Home with the Sharks

CONTENTS

PERSONA

By Kristin A. Smith

54 Clothes, and Much More,
Have Made this Man

By Julie Engelhardt

58 The Man Behind the Mayor

By Barbra Alexander

78 Architect Extraordinaire

By Elizabeth Hermens

82 Horses Trump a
Learning Disability

By Charleen Earley

DEPARTMENTS

DINE

STYLE

49 Citronelle Restaurant

23 Khaki’s of Carmel

A hot new spot for simple but
playful dishes

Men’s Summer Fashions

BY DAN SHAFER

SPECIAL

61 Putting on the Dog

SCENE

32 Pacific Grove
Caught up in the moment

ABODE

73 Architectural Masterpieces

at Lysakov Gallery

The Santa Fe House

42 Salinas

Monterey County Bank
Grand Opening

COLUMNS

18 Publisher’s Note

86 Pacific Grove

20 Partners in Creative Crime

An Evening with Alison Eastwood

22 Letters to the Editor

14

COMMUNITY

70 Apparel and Luxury Racing
Machines are No Child’s Play
A modest endeavor by Khaki’s to give
back to the community
By Andrea Stuart

COVER
The Men of the Peninsula
converged at Lysakov Art Gallery
for the cover shoot of this issue.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREG HARRIS

72 Nap Time:
A Man Among Men

, the oldest locally
Monterey County Bank
bank in Monterey
owned, locally managed
ent to continue this
itm
m
m
co
a
s
ha
,
ty
un
Co
on. From Father to
important family traditi
g and nurturing to
Daughter, the mentorin
n to continue our
prepare a new generatio
’re proud to offer to
service is something we
munity.
our clients and our com
Sincerely,
rg, Jr.
Charles T. Chrietzbere
y County Bank
President/CEO, Monte
Member F.D.I.C.  SBA Pre

By Richard Medel
You undoubtedly noticed the magazine’s appearance when you picked up this issue. Summer is
upon us! And with the arrival of the summer solstice 65° Magazine gave birth to a whole new image;
an image that allows us to captivate our readers as much with a visual feast of photographic splendor
as with our stories. We at 65° Magazine are very excited about what lies ahead and couldn’t think of a
better time to salute the Men of the Peninsula.
You see, men are not so unlike the roaring summer sun; deliberate in their intentions, powerful in their
actions, and giving of light that motivates and heals others. The gentlemen we highlight in this issue
encapsulate what it truly means to be a man on our peninsula. They are fathers, they are husbands, they
are dreamers, and they are activators. It is these men who have textured our Monterey Peninsula with
their creative minds and enriched the area’s history with their actions.
I am personally grateful for having met and learned from those whose stories and photos fill our pages this issue. We had a
hectic agenda yet everyone adjusted their busy schedules to be a part of this project.
The Monterey Jet Center, home of Denny LeVett’s plane, was incredibly accommodating, maneuvering his plane around for
her photo shoot. We couldn’t have asked for more. Also, Terra Norse, front office manager at Highlands Inn was of great assistance during the photo shoot with Jim Ockert of Khakis of Carmel.
I was humbled during my visit with Judge John M. Phillips and his wife, subject of our feature story about Rancho Cielo.
An individual who has devoted his life to helping at-risk kids who want to turn their lives around, Phillips and his team have
truly created a haven for hope to thrive.
Inside this issue you will also trek through the private lives of Greg Jamison, CEO of the Sharks; Ryan Pullara, a teenage
Arabian horse breeder whose national titles are awe-inspiring; Dennis Donohue, Mayor of Salinas; Denny LeVett, Carmel’s
vagabond host; Al Saroyan, a man whose boyhood dream came true; Jim Ockert, the man behind peninsula fashion; and
John Rossi, local motorcycle enthusiast. Plus, we have David Bernahl, co-founder of Pebble Beach Food and Wine, to thank
for recommending Citronelle restaurant, a great find that will leave you hungering for more.
Take summer in stride this year. Open our newly designed 65° Magazine and take in the scenery with each turn of the page. °

tHiS iS tHE mONtEREy PENiNSulA

THE BRAND NEW
65º MAGAZINE
HAS EVERYTHING
YOU LOVE — AND MORE.
831.626.4457

l www.65mag.com

Partners in Creative Crime

CREATIVE VIEW

20

By Black Sheep Design
When the publisher of 65° Magazine, Rich Medel, approached us more than four months ago about
embarking on a partnership to recreate 65° Magazine’s image we were at once flattered and thrilled.
Recognizing 65° Magazine’s loyal readership, we understood that the design had to be both intelligent
and vibrant to accurately represent them.
After conducting much in-depth research for the redesign, we determined that the magazine could best tell
its stories by following a non-traditional format. Thus, a cultured coffee-table style magazine was born. This
format prevents the magazine from blending in with mainstream publications while allowing us to captivate
our readers with creative edge.
The Monterey Peninsula—from the galleries and restaurants to the beaches, vineyards, and landscape—
is like one large art exhibit; infused with mesmerizing attributes that inspire those who live here. 65° Magazine follows in the
footsteps of the Peninsula by offering more than just fun stories and pretty pictures. We designed 65° Magazine to encompass the
sophistication and excitement of the area by implementing a clean, artistic layout. We felt it was important to combine the intimacy
of the stories with the vibrancy of the photography, creating a multidimensional narrative that takes the reader from the beginning
to the end of each story. In short, 65° Magazine is a tribute to the Monterey Peninsula.
Every aspect of the magazine was done with the most deliberate precision. For instance, our prolific use of white space is not only
intentional; it’s one way that we prevent cluttering our reader’s brains with a goulash of visually loquacious fillers. In fact, the new
format uses fewer photographs and text while making a significant impact through stronger imagery and denser editorial content.
However, the project did not come without its challenges. For instance, the horizontal orientation of the book affords a dynamic
experience and offers more photographic freedom; however, it also requires that we take into consideration the capacity of the
cameras used to photograph our subjects so that the photos fit into the unique layout. This delicate balance of creative efforts has
resulted in what you hold in your hands now.
To say that working on this project with Mr. Medel and his editorial team has been a pleasure is an understatement. The relationship
that we have developed with them exudes an abundance of positivity. There has been a true meeting of the minds between us and
this issue is the first offspring of our collaboration.
If you ever get the chance to meet Mr. Medel, we are certain that you will admire the same positive attitude and resourceful
mind that motivated us to embark on this adventure with him. Black Sheep Design looks forward to a long and prosperous
future with 65° Magazine. °

long and successful run
I just picked up my first copy of your
magazine, came home, and read the
entire issue. As a professional writer
and photographer who makes my home
here in Monterey, I am thrilled that this
magazine exists and that this issue focuses
on some of the very talented women
who live here. It is indeed a great place
to live and work, and I have found my
colleagues in the arts and business to be
very supportive. I came here many years
ago to study language and teach. I fell in
love with the area at that time, but moved
away until about two years ago. Having
returned to live here permanently, I am
glad to find a publication that focuses on
the whole Peninsula. I intend to submit
some proposals, and want to thank you
for doing such a great job with the Spring,
2008 issue. Looking forward to a long and
successful run for your magazine.

little more than plugs for their various
businesses. Nice, but not relevant unless
you plan to do business with them.
Lastly, the magazine overall seems to
be intended for people living in Pebble
Beach. We “normal” people haven’t the
time, the inclination, or the money to
indulge in all the “soirees” whose pictures
grace the pages of your magazine. We
have lives. I sometimes wonder if most of
the people pictured actually exist; I have
only met two or three of them.
At any rate, that’s what I think.
Have a nice day!
Your friend, Otis R. Needleman

Catherine Al-Meten

NO “community leaders”
I just read the Spring issue of your
magazine and had some observations.
First, there are NO “community leaders”.
People have supervisors at work and that’s
about it. If leadership is defined as getting
people to follow you, there’s nobody in the
community I would voluntarily follow.
Second, from what I can tell, the ladies’
profiles in the Spring 2008 magazine are

BRAVO 65°
65° Magazine touches on and covers the
unique stories of Peninsula residents like
no other publication. I had the pleasure of
participating in an issue entitled Women
of the Peninsula this past spring. Not only
was I thrilled with the positive attention
from 65° Magazine, I was elated with the
results my dental practice received from
the coverage. Since 65° Magazine ran
an article featuring my dental practice,
Jeanette Kern, D.D.S., we have welcomed
many friendly and wonderful readers as
new patients.
I could not be happier with the results
or the positive attention 65° Magazine
bestowed on all of the well-deserving professional women that help drive our area’s
economy. Bravo 65° Magazine for creating
a publication that is smart, attractive, and
sophisticated!
Dr. Jeanette Kern

The owner of Monterey Peninsula Sports Center, John Rossi, began his
motorcycle sales and service business out of a Seaside basement after taking over
a tiny dealership that had become a failing enterprise for the reason that it lacked
coherent business operations and processes. The owner had been simply flying
by the seat of his pants, selling bikes as a cigar shop operation, and ignoring
unnecessary business frills such as accounting and inventory management.

PERSONA

Life In A Two-Wheel Fastlane

John discovered that the general dishevelment
of the operation made the challenge greater than
he expected. He felt like someone who had been
thrown into a strange room with the lights, only
discovering things by stumbling into them.
Fortunately, John wasn’t forced to learn everything this way. The single most important decision
he made was becoming part of the Retail Powersports Management Group where people with a
wealth of industry experience began to guide and
educate him about such things as quality guidelines and standards.
Retail Powersports Management Group only
permits top performers to join the group —
dealers who indicate that they will make a contribution to the project. Limited to 20 members, the
group represents various size dealerships across
the country. The network is a true example of
symbiosis because everyone supports one another
with advice, warnings, and helpful marketing ideas.

PERSONA

30

Completing his baccalaureate degree in
Economics from the University of Colorado, John
was looking to put into practice all the lessons that
he had learned from his course studies.
Meanwhile, John’s dad was in a period of transition, having sold a profitable business and gone
into retirement. However, Dad was not the kind of
person to get hooked on Daytime TV or shuffleboard. He was seeking new worlds to conquer.

Every month the members submit financials to one
another and meet quarterly via conference call to
share new ideas and information about industry
trends. Each member submits a brand new idea
and John then creates an implementation list of
ideas to incorporate into his business.

Getting Down to Business

For example, John’s service department has
four technicians, all with varying degrees of
knowledge and experience. One idea was to
create a lane called Gravy Work — repairs that
can be done easily.

Neither man were knowledgeable about selling
motorcycles when they began selling Yamaha and
Suzuki motorcycles — the two product lines that
the original owner had been selling.

Repairs are less efficient if you mix gravy with heavy
work. Assigning different people to each technical
level of service creates a much smoother flow of
repairs. The Gravy Work Lane results in quicker

turn-around because a leaking gas cap can’t get
backed up behind a transmission overhaul that
might take three days.
John and his father diagnosed the business
structure and learned that the motorcycle industry
has four profit centers including Sales, Parts &
Accessories, Service, and Finance and Insurance.
They dissected each department, spending more
than two years bringing each department up to
high quality and efficiency standards.
When the business finally reached a stable operational point they still weren’t making wheelbarrows
full of money, but they weren’t in the red anymore.
One way to get on the inside track for area motorcycle sales is by incorporating diversity. The Rossis
formed a relationship with an Italian company
called Aprilia, and received phenomenal sales
action out of their products.
They purchased a second local underperforming
dealership and overnight found themselves in the
business of selling and servicing Ducati, Honda,
and Kawasaki motorcycles. Able to apply their
business model to the new company’s business
challenges, the acquisition presented them with
opportunities for synergy. They hired nearly all
of the employees that had worked at the newly
purchased company and moved both businesses
into a single location, merging departments,
and achieving economies of scale. To John’s
knowledge, they now carry more products and
product lines than any other dealership.
Selling an Experience
The competitive industry of motorcycle sales is
steeped with game theory. Success requires both
developing good strategies and tactics.
CONTINUED ON PG 90

Santa Lucia CafĂŠ is a German Restaurant with an Italian twist.

Uwe Grobecker, Owner

Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner they use authentic recipes and present unique dishes such as Bavarian Sauerbraten, Beef Rouladen,

Santa Lucia Cafe

Spaetzle, Schweinebraten, and Knoedel (dumpling), as well as Wild Boar Brats & Sauerkraut just to mention a few. Also try their German

484 Washington Street,
Suite A, Monterey

Apple Pancake or one of their thin crusted pizzas, fresh from the wood burning brick-oven (thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the twist). Their bar offers eight Bavarian
beers on draft and provides a good selection of German, Italian, and local wines. Chef Uwe Grobecker is usually on hand to greet you and
will make sure your dining experience is all that it can be.

(831) 333-1111

Photography by Greg Harris, Clarissa
Perez–Pacheco, Christina Thurston
The cover photo for this issue, shot at
Lysakov Art Company Gallery courtesy
of President and CEO, Randall Swanson,
proved to be a fun affair for all involved.
Randall’s generosity lent 65º Magazine this
beautiful backdrop.

33

Caught Up in the Moment

SCENE

PACIFIC GROVE

The Gates of
Opportunity
For troubled juveniles in Monterey County, the path to hope runs through Salinas.
It goes out Natividad Road past the county jail, the sheriff ’s and probation offices
and across remote farmland to Old Natividad Road. A right turn there leads
to Old Stage Road and the entrance to a 100-acre ranch nestled alongside the
rolling San Gabriel Mountains. The land is open and vast, a peaceful place that
was one of the first areas to be settled by early residents of the Salinas Valley. At
the top of the long driveway, a clean, simple campus sits on high ground. There
are horse stables on your left, and a sign on the right-hand side reads, “You have
just passed through the gates of opportunity. Welcome to Rancho Cielo.”

By the time a teenage boy or girl gets here most have been in trouble,
gone to court and been identified as an at-risk youth. They have probably met
Joe Grammatico, the Probation Department officer who works on-site and
supervises 18 probation staff members. The teen goes through an intense screening process to determine whether or not they are willing to cooperate before
becoming one of more than 50 kids currently in the program.
I first met Judge John M. Phillips, the president and founder of Rancho Cielo,
in 2005. This year, I went back to check in and see how things have progressed.
Novum fierent detraxit ne
sea. Sea adipisci accusata
interesset in, suas invidunt
quo an, eos velit error.

BY CAMERON DOUGLAS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RUSSELL BYRNE

FEATURE

34

John Phillips hoists a workboot-clad leg onto his desk and faces you with the frank, open stare of a man
always looking for the truth. He can’t help it: that stare served him well during his career as a Superior
Court judge. Newcomers to the ranch take one look at him and know there’s no “wiggle room” with this
man. It’s total honesty or nothing.
It’s also the look of a visionary. John saw the potential in this land long ago. Over the past eight years,
his dream has become reality.

CD How did you find the land?
JP I knew this property existed. It was the old
Boys’ Ranch. I used to come here and play basketball with the kids when I was a district attorney
back in the 1970’s. After that, the property was
pretty much abandoned and lay here dormant for
about twenty years, except for some use by the
county for dumping and Animal Control. I always
thought it had all kinds of potential as a place of
hope for young people.
CD How did things look when you started building
Rancho Cielo?
JP We took over the property in 2000. We
couldn’t raise sufficient funding then to get
anything going here. So we started the Silver Star
program with the County Education and Probation
departments down at the old Natividad Hospital.
We couldn’t do anything with this property until
the construction industry got behind me. John
Anderson of Woodman Development and Don
Chapin were major contributors who brought in
their connections.
We really started working on things in 2003. We
hauled off over 750 end-dumps of trash and tore

CD Now the gym is finished and it looks great.
What’s next?
JP We’ve cleaned up the kitchen and it’s ready
to be revamped into a culinary school. I need to
raise more money for that project. We’ll have to
make handicap-access bathrooms and bring in
all new kitchen equipment. The plans have been
completed and they’re at the county now. The
architect who designed it donated all his time.
A mechanical engineer also donated his time.
Bert Cutino from the Sardine Factory is heading a
committee to decide what kind of programs we’ll
run in the culinary school.
CD So far, what was the hardest thing to get done
and why?
JP The hardest part was getting the initial
buildings done. People were very reluctant to get
involved in this project because my own feasibility study—which I paid for—concluded we could
never do it. So Don Chapin and I came up with a
strategy to do what we had to do in order to get
the buildings finished enough that we could bring
the kids in.
Now the county administration is totally supportive
of what we’re doing. Also the Harden Foundation.
The Monterey Peninsula Foundation has given us
more money to keep going. For every buck we

37

JP I got tired of sending young people to
prison for thirty, forty, fifty years. I mean, you’re
basically discarding a life. I saw an obvious need
for early intervention with things like job training
and education.

down old dilapidated houses, carports and fences.
When we moved into the facility in 2004, the
administration and educational buildings had been
completed but the gym was still in disrepair.

FEATURE

CD What drove you to build this place?

get, we try to stretch it into three with labor and
materials that are donated. It’s become easier as
people have seen our successes.

CD How is Rancho Cielo
different from a group
home?

CD You’ve mentioned people who have helped you.
Any others come to mind?

JP It’s an entirely different
concept. For one thing, the
kids don’t live here—which
is sometimes unfortunate.
Some go home to an
environment that’s not as
healthy as we would like. But
we keep their days pretty
full. We have a teacher’s
aide in every class, so it’s
a very intense educational
program. We do drug tests
three times a week. We have
a gang intervention program
and alcohol counseling.

JP There’s been a multitude of people here. Just
looking at the administration building: Cinderella
Carpets donated all the carpeting along with
installation, and Pete Scudder of Scudder Roofing
donated all the roofing material and labor. The
Association of General Contractors has been very
helpful. The Monterey Peninsula Foundation and
the AT&T people were instrumental in rebuilding the gymnasium. AT&T gave us a $100,000
matching grant for that. The construction industry
has been phenomenally supportive.
CD How do the horses fit in with all this?

FEATURE

38

JP Horse programs have been used in prisons
and juvenile facilities. We have about twelve head
of horses and the program is expanding. We call
it “Gaits of Hope.” It teaches the young people
boundaries. Certain kids go down and take
classes there. They learn to deal with the horses
and learn a lot from them. Some of them adopt a
particular horse. It’s very beneficial.
CD What other programs do you have going on?
JP We have health education and an aggressive
therapy program with social workers on site. We
have a music program and an art program. We
have First Aid classes. We’re starting a drama
class as well as a journalism class, plus a robotics
program and a wood shop. We’re going to have
an auto body shop in our vocational school when
it gets done. Lyceum has partnered with us to do
some supplemental classes.

We introduce these kids
to good things in life
they haven’t seen before.
Each year, we go to the
Aquarium. Whale watching. We took them to a
Giants game. After graduation, we take them to a
nice restaurant. A lot of them haven’t ever been to
a nice restaurant in Monterey. We work the Quail
Lodge car rally every year as a designated charity.
Last year, we brought in over $10,000. I put some
of that money back in the kids’ Student Council
account so they could decide what to do with it.
CD Do you interact with local law enforcement?
JP Probation is the mainstay. They provide all the
transportation and supervision. We have some
other law enforcement people involved, but very
few. That’s an area we will probably explore with
the Salinas P.A.L. program and with the Salinas

Police Department.
Frankly, I would like to get more officers up here
to work with the kids as volunteers and mentors.
It’s good for young people to learn to deal with
law enforcement in ways other than the time
they’re getting arrested or up against the side
of the car. If they get to know cops and deal with
cops on a personal level, it’s beneficial to them
and the officers.
CD There’s a new road near the parking lot. Where
does it go?
JP We’re finishing up a restoration of two small
lakes. We brought in base rock that was donated
by the Chemical Lime Company, put roads in,
CONTINUED ON PG 88

Protecting the environment one mortgage at a time.

Christine Handel, Realtor
chrissy.handel@CAmoves.com

Dana and Chrissy have good lives and they will be the first to admit it! Calling the Monterey Peninsula home for over 25 years, Chrissy and

Dana Bambace, Realtor

Dana are passionate Realtors with Coldwell Banker who understand that in this changing real estate market it is important to affiliate with real

dana.bambace@CAmoves.com

estate professionals who will guide and protect you from the start to finish of the home buying and selling process. That is what Dana and
Chrissy do for their clients and will do for you. With Dana and Chrissy, you come first. Living and working in this unique community Dana and
Chrissy are involved in environmental preservation and conservation and have their EcoBroker速 Certifications.

As I sit in Cypress Inn awaiting the arrival of owner Denny LeVett, I notice a grand looking gentleman briskly
ascending the hill. Within seconds the impeccably attired package of relaxed power is inside, greeting me with the familiar
disarmament of a seasoned human relations pro. LeVett shared stories at a cozy table inside Terry’s Moroccan Bar,
Cypress Inn’s popular watering hole, named after his longtime friend and partner, Terry Melcher, whose fondness for all
things Moroccan came while spending a year there as a boy while his mother, Doris Day, was filming “The Man Who Knew
Too Much.” Here is a small taste of one of one of Carmel’s most flavorful characters.
BY Raymond Napolitano

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREG HARRIS

PERSONA

45

Selfâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;proclaimed lover of all
things exotic, LeVett stands
with two of his favorite toys.

”I was awarded worst of show in two of [the Concours events].”

“My father died when I was about 13 or 14.
My mother, a teacher in Owasa, Iowa, moved to
California with my brother in tow, and tripled her
$4,200 dollars a year salary. I stayed behind with
my grandfather for a few years until my mom
suggested I attend the University of the Pacific,
the most beautiful college I’ve ever seen.”
While at Pacific, Denny signed up for a real
estate program taught by a Professor
Brombaugh: “He made me a deal: If I got my
real estate license, he’d give me a top grade. He
said Palo Alto would be the greatest place for
real estate in California history. It was, ‘Thank you
Pacific U, hello Palo Alto.’ I just couldn’t wait to
buy buildings and really got into that in downtown
Palo Alto.”
This dapper gentleman will travel anywhere in
the world they have an old grand hotel. “When
you grow up in Iowa and all you have is Post, Life
and Holiday Magazine you look at these grand
hotels and say, ‘ahh, someday.’ The Benbow Inn
in Garberville, about an hour south of Eureka, was
just the most romantic beautiful hotel. Owner Art
Stadler and I became great friends. When he had
a heart attack he told me, ‘Den, you’re buying
the Benbow Inn, you’re the only one that loves it
the way I do.’ I commuted back and forth in little
rinky-dink planes with patches on the wings—I’d
be forced down here and there—there were four
different weather patterns between Palo Alto
and Garberville.”
LeVett always dreamed of the Flying Leathernecks:
“I love flying. I’ve flown since I was 22 or 23.
All I wanted to do was be an adventurer. I’ve got
stories—like flying a broken down Cessna into
Mexico, but lately, the instruments are so much

more sophisticated and you have to be pretty
careful where you fly, so I started hiring a pilot.”
Opportunity often serendipitously redirected LeVett’s
life: “Chuck Watts owned Vagabond House and
loved the Benbow Inn. He said, ‘LeVett, sell it to me,’
so I took Vagabond’s in the down payment. Hence, I
moved from Palo Alto to Carmel.”
He has also exhibited in a few Concours where as he
jokingly put it: “I was awarded worst of show in two
of them,” LeVett is a self–proclaimed, “car lover, a
collector, anything that’s exotic, fun, sporty, 1950’s,
40’s too.” He’s also an antique arms collector: “I did
a book on the original Colt Patersons. Since I was
a little tot I’d buy toy soldiers, mostly British so at
Vagabond’s House we just started displaying them
in the office, along with some of the antique firearms
and a few trains.”
Denny’s love of Carmel radiates a warming glow.
He realizes that, “we have to fight a little harder
for our share of tourism. This town is still every bit
as gorgeous, as enchanting as it ever was. It’s so
important that we have the best stores in Carmel,
in my humble opinion. You need to have Gucci,
Armani as well as the heavenly, delightful one-ofa-kind stores. We should have always done an art
week, like Santa Fe does. How can they get away
with it and Carmel doesn’t have one?” That’s a
grand idea indeed Denny LeVett. °

Smile! It can light up a room and warm the heart.
The memory of a beautiful smile lasts forever. Dr. Jeanette Kern helps people from all over the Peninsula improve the health and appearance
of their teeth. Dr. Kern is an expert dentist who has completed post-doctoral training in cosmetic and restorative dentistry. She is a compassionate practitioner with 25 years of experience and a commitment to community service. At Dr. Kernâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re treated like a VIP. To
make visits especially comfortable, Dr. Kern designed a zen-inspired office space with creature comforts like paraffin hand dip and entertainment systems. New patients are welcome and smile consultations are always complimentary.
Schedule by calling 372-8011or at www.jkerndds.com.

Jeanette Kern, DDS
660 Camino Aguajito
Suite 201, Monterey

(831) 372-8011
www.jkerndds.com

Ad Designed by blacksheepca.com

Citronelle

A hot new spot for simple but playful dishes served in sheer elegance.
BY DAN SHAFER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREG HARRIS

Anchored in playfulness,
the dishes at Citronelle are
an edible artform.

DINE

49

50
DINE
Violi and Keene bask in the
sophistication and thirst–
quenching presence of their
extensive display of wine.

If you decide to enjoy a night out at the recently opened
Citronelle by Michel Richard at Carmel Valley Ranch and
you don’t find the food to be fun to eat, Anthony Keene
wants to know about it.

Keene, the Executive Chef at Citronelle, describes his philosophy of cooking as “anchored in playfulness” designed
to create “fun and excitement” in the diner. Based on my
first experience at this outstanding addition to a worldclass restaurant scene on the Monterey Peninsula, I’d say
Keene succeeds magnificently.

Citronelle was inspired by the nation’s most famous
restaurant of that name located in the nation’s capital.
There, world-famous chef, Michel Richard, has dazzled an
international audience with his kitchen magic for many
years. Keene has enjoyed the many times he has been
able to work alongside, chat with, and learn from Richard,

both in D.C. and, on many occasions, at Carmel Valley
Ranch. According to the ranch’s general manager, Joseph
Violi, the association between Richard and Carmel Valley
Ranch’s management company, LXR Luxury Resorts, has
already paid great dividends.

The upscale restaurant opened its doors in February as a
key piece in a $12 million renovation the ranch resort has
undergone over the past three years, all of it under Violi’s
direction. It is one of several fruits of a strategic alliance
between the resort’s owners and Chef Richard, who owns
two famous D.C. eateries, including the Central Michel
Richard, a bistro-style eatery.

Keene says he first met Richard about 18 months ago
while planning for the local location moved into high gear.
“He’s a really fun person and a highly innovative chef,”
Keene says, “but he’s also very serious about what he
does.” Richard’s influence on the menu is somewhat
hands-on. He and Keene talk over new ideas and

innovative approaches to cooking regularly. “We
collaborate back and forth a great deal,” Keene says.
“I’m quite fortunate to be associated with a man of his
expertise and wisdom.”
As you enter the main lodge at Carmel Valley Ranch and
stroll past the lobby area, you encounter Citronelle in a

series of pieces tied together by décor. After you move
through the 35-seat lounge area, you find yourself passing
the 17-seat bar before angling past a 12-seat chef’s table
and passing into the light and airy 54-seat dining room.
There is also a private dining room which seats up to 24.

Chasing Seasons, Following Trends
Like most professional chefs, Keene says his primary
interest in his profession is the creativity it allows him to
express. “That and I really like the instant gratification of
seeing the results of my creativity every day,” he says with
a wry chuckle.

53
DINE
Citronelle features a 35–seat
lounge area, a 17–seat bar, a
12–seat Chef’s table, and a
54–seat dining room.

Part of the fun for him at Citronelle is what he calls
“chasing the seasons” in the lush Northern California
countryside. “In the spring, you get to think about new
ways to incorporate morels, asparagus, fresh peas, and
peaches, into the menu. Then comes summer and you
turn your attention to tomatoes and melons. In the fall,

you focus on things like apples and mushrooms. It’s just a
never-ending range of variety of choices.”
Keene also tries to keep abreast of trends in his profession, particularly when it comes to different cooking
techniques. “We are evolving into a whole new way of

cooking right now,” he says with enthusiasm. “We’re
looking at using liquid nitrogen in some fascinating ways.
There’s an intriguing trend toward sous-vide cooking.
That’s a style that uses cooking in a bag in which a
vacuum is created.” He enjoys experimenting with
cooking approaches that are variations
CONTINUED ON PG 89

54
PERSONA
A fresh approach: Ockert
merges fashion with
philanthropy.

Clothes, and Much More,
Have Made This Man
When you hear the word “fashion,” images of willowy models strutting down runways draped in
women’s clothing comes to mind, but in reality, there’s also a sector of high end, impeccable clothing styles
that are also available to men. Enter J. Lawrence Khaki’s Men’s Clothier of Carmel.
BY JULIE ENGELHARDT

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREG HARRIS

“I had a dream of a better men’s clothing store and
a newer, fresher approach to men’s clothing,”
For the past sixteen years this exquisite men’s
store has been an anchor at the Barnyard
Shopping Village, offering their loyal customers
American luxury brands as well as top brands from

Italy and Europe. Khaki’s has only had one owner
during its existence, entrepreneur and visionary,
Jim Ockert, who works side-by-side overseeing
every detail of the store’s operation with his wife,
Connie.
It’s not surprising that Ockert has done so well with
his own clothing business for nearly two decades.
Retail is ‘in his blood,’ so-to-speak. His parents
owned their own store while he was growing up,
so he was around the business at a very early
age. Ockert’s career path has included performing as a professional drummer in a rock band and
working in timber mills, but he eventually invested
his time and talents in the clothing business. He
honed his skills and gained invaluable knowledge
while working in the fashion denim business, at
JCPenney and for Nordstrom. Ockert said that
while working at Nordstrom the idea of maintaining a career in the clothing industry really ‘clicked.’
“I had a dream of a better men’s clothing store
and a newer, fresher approach to men’s clothing,”
Ockert said.
Ockert says that Khaki’s was a success from the
start, and there’s definitely no sign of its popularity ever waning. Khaki’s has been honored as one
of the 100 Best Men’s Clothing Stores in America,
and by MR Magazine as one of the top 25 men’s
clothing stores. But besides being a savvy businessman, Ockert also has a generous, charitable
side as well, and has done what he can to help
others throughout the years, both personally and
professionally.
Ockert has two grown children, Nick and Amy, who
are doing very well in their own respect. Ockert
dearly believed in making the family home an
open haven for anyone who wanted to visit. Many

of the young men who’d come to the house were
kids who played sports with Nick.
“There were always guys at the house; it was a
revolving door,” Ockert explained. “Some of them
stayed there for awhile.”
He always took the time to spend with his son’s
friends, especially when they were encountering
difficult situations in their lives. Ockert said that if
he weren’t in the clothing business he would love
to be a coach, but admits he doesn’t have the
training. “My version of that is, I do what I do,
and people come my way,” he explained. A part
of his benevolence comes from witnessing his
parents giving to friends and the community,
but they never expected anything in return,
and neither does he.
Several years ago Ockert expanded his philanthropic efforts and decided he wanted to do
something that would benefit both the Juvenile
Diabetes Research Association as well as the
Carmel Valley Youth Center. That was just the
beginning of the highly successful Khaki’s Ferrari
fundraising event which is held during the same
week as the Concours d’Elegance. All proceeds go
directly to the two charities; about 80 percent to
the Juvenile Diabetes Research Association and 20
percent to the Carmel Valley Youth Center.
“We want to raise as much money as we can,”
he said. “The interesting thing is we’re a store, a
clothing store, and there’s no clothing store in the
United States that tries to do this. We do it and
we tie it to a cause. Anything that comes into the
event goes directly to those two causes.” °

PERSONA

56

Tracy Cruysen, Non-Surgical Hair Replacement Specialist
A native of the Monterey Peninsula, Tracy has been a hair designer for the past 15 years. After serving
an apprenticeship with Paul Mitchell, he spent several years with Aveda in Monterey, Carmel, and
Rocklin, California and has managed five salons. With specialties in extensions and color correction
his prominent area of expertise is non-surgical hair replacement. After meeting Chris Buzbee and
discovering that they were bookends to the same philosophies, Tracy joined the salon. The salon
specializes in corrective hair color from the finest color lines and also offers the finest in non-surgical
hair replacement and alternatives available in the market today. Proud to be a part of Buzbee Studio,
Tracy encourages anyone suffering from hair loss to contact them today for a confidential evaluation.

BuzBee Studio

3 NE Mission at 4th, Carmel-by-the-Sea
buzbeestudio@aol.com

(831) 622-9691
www.buzbeestudio.com

The Man Behind the Mayor
While inadvertently learning to be comfortable as a leader of baseball and basketball varsity teams, or in his role as
Valedictorian of his class at the University of San Francisco, becoming a politician never occurred to the charming and
energetic Dennis Donohue, Mayor of Salinas.
BY BARBRA ALEXANDER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Christine Muro

PERSONA

59

60
PERSONA

He saw himself more as the captain of a high-tech
company. Or, while obtaining an advanced degree
in Religious Education, perhaps as the spiritual
head of a distinctive, metropolitan parish.

to who he is,” somewhere during that process
he also came to understand that “perhaps faith
doesn’t make any sense unless you can live it out
through your daily routine.”

It’s equally unlikely that he pictured himself
married to the proverbial farmer’s daughter, using
his sales talents in a variety of agricultural businesses. But, alas he and his wife, Paula, a teacher
at Harden Middle School, celebrated their 25th
anniversary on June 11th of this year.

Donohue credits his wife with having the
“patience of Job” by allowing him the freedom
to pursue his various career interests more or
less at will. That meant he wasn’t home much —
something he says he would never have done if
“home and children would have suffered by his
many absences.” It also meant that he was able to
conduct his business efforts globally, making him
a two-million-mile American Airline flyer.

Their daughter Emily, who at the moment works
in produce, loves to travel, has taken a semester
of courses at Oxford, and is planning to study in
India. Meanwhile, their son Allan is now headed for
the Navy and will begin his military career studying
at the Defense Language Institute, after earning a
degree in business administration earlier this June.
Considering his lack of interest in the produce
industry and his vacillation over whether or not
to become a priest, Donohue’s decision to marry
and raise a family won the inner battle mainly
due to the “indelible mark Salinas had made
on his soul” during his formative years. Though
he continues to appreciate and enjoy his faith
because he sees it as one of the “key elements

It seems that Donohue has been working for the
betterment of Salinas since he took the helm at
European Vegetable Specialties. The interesting part is that he did it right. Not by protest or
opposition but rather, through a systematic rise in
public visibility through his efforts on everything
from volunteering for the Steering Committee for
Rally Salinas, to his political appointment, and work
on the Planning Commission; as well as participating as a Director on a veritable plethora of Civic
Boards. That said, he does have a penchant for
rising to the top in all of his endeavors; once he set
foot into the political arena it made perfect sense

that he would eventually arrive at the pinnacle
position of his chosen city.
Salinas has many challenges for its newest Mayor
but he’s up to it and well prepared. Speaking at the
third annual faith luncheon he told the audience
that he likened the city to the story of David and
Goliath, which, in this case, means a collection of
gang-related social difficulties. Additionally the
growing city is faced with upgrades and changes
unlike any that were faced by previous leaders.
Donohue’s vision is included in the title of his
weekly radio broadcast “Imagine a Great City.”
He is amazingly approachable to constituents as
long as they are willing to talk through whatever
problem occupies their minds. If they’re willing to
discuss a challenge, it can be solved. When asked
recently if he wants to go to the state legislature
after being a Mayor, his answer clearly exemplifies his working style and enthusiasm for his
current job: “Why should I take a demotion?” °

61
SPECIAL

Putting on the Dog
Photography by D.M. Troutman

Todd Harris of Suds ‘N Scissors
PRESENTED BY Suds ’N ScissorS

Owner Sarah Bardis with
(from left) Allie, Trixie,
and Riley.

John Saar of John Saar
Properties with his
smiling lab, Ian.

Scott Salyer with his King
Charles Spaniel, Louie.

We pride ourselves on being a local business and member of the community.
Opened in July of 2006, Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery offers a myriad of plumbing fixtures and faucets, appliances, and lighting.
If you are building or remodeling, a visit to Ferguson is a must. Ten thousand square feet of elegance make this showroom the premier
showroom on the Monterey Peninsula. Catering to architects, contractors, designers as well as home owners, Ferguson has working kitchens
and bathroom vignettes on display. Ferguson’s knowledgeable sales staff will be delighted to help with the selection process and consultation appointments are available for larger jobs. Come see all the newest innovations and the latest products. Experience weekend cooking
demos while you browse. Ferguson… “Delivering Your Dream.”

If you ask Greg Jamison where he’s from, the answer changes daily.
Today it’s Washington, tomorrow Oregon. Next week he might say Colorado.
That’s because Jamison moved constantly as a child, attending a total of
thirteen public schools before he graduated.
BY KRISTIN A. SMITH

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RUSSELL BYRNE

ing, and achieving below grade-level. He says that
there was “no teaching until March. There was just
survival.” But slowly he transformed the class. “We
came a long way. I taught them and they taught
me,” he says, while tossing an apple into the air.
He catches it without looking.
With the heart of a teacher and the mind of a
businessman, Jamison was on the fast track
to becoming a principal. He began pursuing a
master’s degree in education administration, but
midway through graduate school, he took a personality test that changed everything. “It came
out that I love two things—sports and business,”
says Jamison, who sits comfortably in a tailored
suit on the locker room bench.
Growing up, Jamison was personally involved in
sports—he ran cross-country and track in high
school and played tennis in college. In high school,
Jamison ran a 4:35 mile and he looks like he could
still win a race or two.
Jamison took the advice of his high school track
coach about running the 8000m and applied it to
his career life — you have to sprint the first lap,
sprint the second lap, and rest in between. Having

PERSONA

68

”It’s hard to get a class of fifth graders to be quiet [but not harder than
winning the Stanley Cup].”
“I don’t advise that for everyone,” says Jamison,
“but I learned a lot from the experience. I learned
that wherever I am, that’s my home.”
As an adult, Jamison has found his home in
the classroom, the NBA, and now the NHL, where
he serves as CEO and President of the San
Jose Sharks.
Before entering the world of professional athletics,
Jamison was an elementary school teacher. In
his first year, he taught the fifth grade class that
nobody wanted — they were disruptive, challeng-

raced through the education lap, Jamison quickly
moved on to sports. Within a year of taking the
test, he had completely changed his direction from
education to athletics.
At the time, Jamison says he didn’t even know if
jobs in professional athletics existed. But they do.
And he’s had a few of them, including Director of
Marketing at Athletes in Action, a Christian sports
organization, and Vice President of Operations for
the Indiana Pacers.

Jamison says his most exciting job is the one he
has now. Before taking a position with the Sharks
in 1993, he had only ever seen two hockey games.
“I wasn’t always a hockey fan, but I am now,” says
Jamison, running his fingers across the awards that
line the locker room wall. “I like basketball,” he
says, “but I really like hockey.”
Jamison says that in many ways teaching prepared
him for his current job— it taught him presentation
skills and the ability to inspire a group.
“It’s hard to get a class of fifth graders to be
quiet,” he jokes. But not harder than winning the
Stanley Cup, which Jamison says is the ultimate
goal of the Sharks.
Perhaps the greatest lesson Jamison learned
in the classroom is that if you show people you
believe in them, they’ll work hard for you. When
Jamison began, the Sharks was a struggling team
with a poor record. Today they have a shot at
the championship. Jamison stares at a picture of
the Stanley Cup. Beneath it is a piece of metal
begging to be engraved.
“But you still have to have luck on your side,” he
says, pushing open the heavy locker room door.
On the way out, Jamison passes a janitor pushing a
cart of supplies. “Good afternoon, Mr. J,” says the
worker. “Afternoon,” says Jamison, flashing a kind
smile. Then he leans in and whispers, “Mr. J, that’s
what my kids used to call me.” °

Apparel and Luxury Racing
Machines are No Child’s Play
BY ANDREA STUART
IMAGES FROM KHAKI’S OF CARMEL
Khaki’s of Carmel is dressing for success as it
prepares for its 10th Annual Ferrari Event to be
held on August 16th.
What began as a modest endeavor to give back to
the community in which they live, Connie and Jim
Ockert, Luxury Merchants and Owners of Khaki’s

of Carmel, have watched their Khaki’s Ferrari
Event mature from a fledgling affair into an event
that rivals the sophistication and popularity of the
Concours D’ Elegance — taking place the same
week as the Concours each year as well.
Brimming with exotic Italian automobiles, from
Lamborghinis and Maseratis to Ferraris, the
event offers fantastic eye candy, thirst-quenching
libations from award-winning Monterey County
wineries, savory food from local restaurants, and
live entertainment to boot.
The Ockerts’ goal when creating the Ferrari event
was to produce a non-commercialized local event

that would invite people from around the country
to revel in the fine elegance of Italian cars while
contributing to a noble cause.
The Ockerts financially sponsor the entire event
themselves, donating all of the proceeds to their
beneficiaries, The Juvenile Diabetes Research
Association and the Carmel Valley Youth Center.
Jim makes it very clear that they do so simply for
the love the community.
“We decided on Juvenile Diabetes because it’s a
disease that is hard to understand. It strikes such
young people and it’s very difficult to manage.
We wanted to give back, and we wanted to do it

right and because of Connie, the engine behind
every organized detail of this event, we can and
we are,” Jim said.

juvenile diabetes, also known as type 1 diabetes,
strikes children and young adults and occurs as an
organ-specific autoimmune disease.

When one looks at the staggering statistics that
follow this brutal disease, it’s not only easy to
understand why Khaki’s chose Juvenile Diabetes
Research Association for their primary beneficiary
but it becomes obvious just how important this
annual event really is.

This means that the body’s immune system attacks
and destroys cells in the pancreas that are needed
for producing insulin. The body’s inability to
produce insulin then results in too much glucose
remaining in the blood, which is life threatening for
the youngsters who are diagnosed with it.

The Department of Health and Human Services
states that diabetes was the sixth leading cause
of death listed on U.S. death certificates in 2002.
If only this were but a mere factoid. Unfortunately,

Yet, Khaki’s’ responsibility to help to improve quality
of life extends beyond the medical world. Following
suit with their commitment to children, Khaki’s’
other beneficiary this year is the Carmel Valley Youth

Center, where they believe in the adage that it takes
a village to raise a child. With activities ranging
from swimming to family dinners, the Carmel Valley
Youth Center offers a positive environment for social
growth and healthy extracurriculars.
Guests who attend the Khaki’s Ferrari fundraiser
are not only lovers of stylish Italian automobiles;
they are philanthropists contributing to greater
causes. And while the Ockerts prepare for
another whirlwind event, they welcome everyone
with open arms. °

Nap Time: A Man Among Men

COLUMN

72

By Raymond Napolitano
Welcome to the first and possibly only episode of Nap Time, a mildly twisted look at our world through
my eyes. In this issue, devoted to men…give me some men, be they stout hearted men and I’ll bring to
you 10 thousand more…sing along with me. As my man James wailed: “This is a man’s world,” and don’t
you forget it (isn’t that right darling). We decide what happens, where and who to. Especially who to (each
of my former English teachers, all women, are cringing at that manly, virtually illiterate sentence).
You see, it is we men—hell, you can’t say we men, sounds so, so wee—us men (that sounds better)—don’t
have a problem breaking the rules when we need to. We can always create new ones. Even if the rules
stand up, we can do the time, suffer the consequences, bite the bullet. We’re men. We can give and take
punishment. Matter of fact, we enjoy it, we derive our identities from it: “Cut it, cut the eye open,” says
people’s champ Rocky Balboa to his grizzled (men get grizzled) corner man played by Burgess Meredith.
We’ve got Testosterone baby; hair, muscles, deep booming voices, predatory instincts—at least for a while, until our bodies start
drastically reducing the production of it and then, even if we use something like testosterone cream, it actually metabolizes as
estrogen unless we add aromatase inhibitors to the mix — but this is all barely clinical in its explanation and probably somewhat
inaccurate (I’m a man, I can say what I want). If you want real facts, go see Dr. Abraham Kryger on Cass Street in Monterey, he’s the
expert on hormones. I’m too busy to see a doctor, besides, I’m a man with unlimited virility, power, and dynamism, why would I
need to see some doctor?
I’ll just dye my hair, buy a faster car, date a slew of young chickies and talk louder when I tell my war stories about whatever
life’s mythical battles I’ve been a part of. What, you’ve already heard those stories, you say? I say, shut up and listen again.
I’m a man and you’ll hear me and love me…sing along, “I’m a man yes I am and you can’t help but love me so,” apologies to
Stevie Winwood. Used to call him Little Stevie Winwood, you see, he’s a man and men can have titles like Little, or Big, or Buster
or Mac or Buck or Butchie.
Me, I’m Nap, like take a nap…a good practice for aging gentlemen. Oh yeah, sometimes, if the conditions are right, if life
conspires more with us than against us, we become kindly older gentlemen; gray, proud, wise, grandfatherly, like Gandolph
The White, Walter Cronkite, Jimmy Carter, Morgan Freeman. The kind of men you want your children interacting with, the kind
of men who most likely shared the same unifying component of their spiritual development; they each were influenced by
powerful, intelligent, loving women. °

73
ABODE

The Santa Fe House

A new construction, the Santa Fe House is
a two-story Montana hunting lodge-style
craftsman with high levels of detail in design,
finishes, and materials. The 1,800 square-foot
home with a one-car garage sits on a hill,
peers out over the Pacific Ocean and offers a
spectacular view of the town at sunset.
Carmel–by–the–Sea

Details
Hand hewn timber tresses, exposed throughout the interior, accent the detailed floor,
which was done in a parquet pattern. The
pattern is also carried through the design
of the entry door and detailing of tile work,
which reflects the X pattern (a strong element
used in craftsman style). The exposed board
and batt wood ceiling with timber truss
further accentuates the home’s uniqueness.
Reflecting the same rustic air, the cabinets
are made from walnut with inlaid burl wood.
Luxurious amenities include bathrooms
detailed in Brazilian granite slab, steam
showers, and heated floors; hand-blown
Italian glass accent lighting throughout
house and bathrooms; as well as Century
Furniture and décor by Lenox Hill Fine
furnishings and Design.
Taking a step outside, the exterior imparts
unique details specific to this house including horizontal plank-style siding with copper
flashing detail between each plank and wood
trim, aged and faux painted for a rustic look.
Finally, all of the hand rails on the balcony
and stairway are a custom post and beam
with hammered wrought iron brackets—a
perfect greeting following a drive up the extended driveway, which is made of flagstone
with river cobble stone retaining walls and
entry columns.

ABODE

74

77
ABODE
Entertainment Features
The home has an elevator that goes
specifically to the wine cellar and full home
theatre—complete with rear projections and
a 10-foot screen. The home also has whole
house audio. Every room has a keypad to
select type of music, source of entertainment, from XM, Sirius, Radio, and stereo, to
digital music from television. Volume control
from each room allows ultimate jurisdiction.
The house also has a Control 4 system – a
remote system that allows you to do everything you want to do from any room, from
dimming the lights to arming the alarm.
Desire outdoor entertainment? Soak in the
hot tub or bask in the warmth of the outdoor
stone fireplace.
Contact Al Saroyan’s office at
(831) 393-1800 for more information.

PERSONA

78

Architect Extraordinaire
The nature of Al Saroyanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mind is at once reflected in his latest project, a home in Carmel. Creating
a balanced and cohesive whole, the effect of his creation is luxurious without being lazy, close without
confinement, and elegant without elitism. Saroyan manages the same air, never condescending or
intimidating while possessing a keen intellect and wealth of experience.
BY ELIZABETH HERMENS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RUSSELL BYRNE

PERSONA

80
However, understanding the prospects of a kit
drummer, Saroyan tried his hand at architecture
following a high school drafting class. In his words,
“Do you know why no good drummers have
surfaced in the last 15 years? Because Al Saroyan
became an architect.”
Indeed, after studying for five years, Saroyan
received a bachelor’s degree in architecture with
a minor in business from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
in 1970. Yet, the degree was hard won.
Throughout his youth, Saroyan struggled to
read, barely passing subjects such as English and
history. In high school, when he told his dean of his
desire to study architecture in college, the dean
chided that Saroyan should attend a trade school
instead. Nonetheless, Saroyan worked hard in
junior college and transferred to Cal Poly. There,
he encountered a variety of peripheral issues that
threatened to slow his achievement.

Born in Sanger, California under ordinary circumstances, Saroyan was left to investigate the
world in a way not possible today. Part of the

Falling behind in trigonometry class, Saroyan’s
teacher recommended a tutor with whom Saroyan
worked diligently up to three times per week
studying the problems the instructor warned would
be on the final exam. Saroyan received a 96% on
that test; however, the instructor refused to believe
the score was the result of “hard work,” and issued
Saroyan a “D” in the class for cheating.

”Do you know why no good drummers have surfaced in the last 15 years? Because
Al Saroyan became an architect.”
baby boomer generation, he was left to his own
devices much of the time. This helped him foster
a sense of independence and curiosity that would
later advance his successes. But for then, it led
him in other directions, the most constant, being
drumming. Playing in diverse bands, with styles
ranging from jazz to rock, music was “his life.”

It wasn’t until Saroyan’s eldest son was diagnosed
with dyslexia that Saroyan was able to put a name
to the difficulty that offered him such challenges
in school.
Nevertheless, Saroyan pioneered his own architecture/construction business, wherein he eschews
assembly-line production and does everything
in-company, overseeing projects from land or

building purchase, to design, to construction, and
finally, to sale. Much like his musician days, he
directs every snare and cymbal and wouldn’t have
it any other way. Of course, this requires extreme
dedication and focus, to the partial exclusion of
other interests. Excellence requires it, and Saroyan
is willing to pay that price, not wanting to be the
proverbial jack-of-all-trades, master of none.
Saroyan’s completed a variety of projects both
commercial and domestic. His favorite piece,
however, is “always the one I’m working on.” He
relishes new projects as opportunities to express
his latest inspiration or idea, despite the temptation of recycling a previous success.
Yet, Saroyan doesn’t forgo all activities beyond
building design. He does manage some time
for his most recently explored hobbies, be they
painting, golfing, or attending his youngest son’s
baseball games. He just doesn’t take it as seriously
as he does his work, because there are simply not
enough hours in a lifetime to pursue everything to
the fullest extent he’s capable of.
Once upon a time he would be termed homo
unversalis, that rare person who pursues all
knowledge, driven by his own hunger for acquiring
skills and understandings. Today, he is content to
be termed master builder.
And after talking to Saroyan, one realizes that
architecture is one of the few careers that could
occupy the man for long. His plans for retirement
include taking his business abroad; in other words,
not retiring at all. This is entirely fitting for Saroyan,
however. One does not imagine his drive to create
diminishing, but rather, refining.
So goes the man as well, becoming more distinguished, with each endeavor, avoiding the one
sorrow, which is, according to John Bradshaw, not
becoming who we were meant to be. °

83
PERSONA

Horses Trump a Learning Disability
Ryan Pullara isn’t just following in his dad’s footsteps when it comes to working with horses; he’s showing
all those around him how to become a leader even with a learning disability.
BY CHARLEEN EARLEY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RUSSELL BYRNE

84
PERSONA

Diagnosed with dyslexia in the second grade,
Pullara, now an eighth grader at Palma High
School in Salinas, an all-boy Christian school, had
his share of learning disabilities. Yet the moment
his grandfather bought his family an Arabian horse,
everything changed.
Three horses later, and somewhere between
learning to take care of and show Arabians at competitions, not to mention place nationally, Pullara’s
self-confidence blossomed.

“It’s been great for him,” said mom Genevieve
Pullara. “The horses were for his self-esteem more
than anything else. It’s helped him out as a person.
It’s even helped him get into other sports. It’s
always been a positive thing for him.”
His difficulty with reading and spelling at an early
age was soon overshadowed by Candelariavf,
Vinnie, and Conquistadorvf, his three Arabians.
“I struggled with it (dyslexia) at school,” said
Pullara. “But I believe in pushing yourself and
don’t give up. If you keep pushing, it’ll eventually
pay off.”
Pay off, it did for Pullara, who, to date has garnered
three Canadian National titles in Western Pleasure,
one second place, and two U.S. National titles in
Country Pleasure Driving. He’s also won a reserve
U.S. National Championship in Western Pleasure.
It’s not a prejudice, more like a preference when
it comes to his horse-of-choice. It’s Arabians,
16.1 hands-down.
“I like their personality and how different they
are from all the others,” he said. “They’re a little
calmer and a little prettier.”
Born and raised in Carmel with his younger
siblings Austin and Lauren, whom he says are “not
into horses,” Pullara spends as much time with
his hoofed-buddies, of course, after the
homework is done.
“I’m with them after school and on the weekends,”
he said. When he grows up, he’ll carve out a living
with his best friends. “I want to ride horses for a
living and train Arabian horses!” said Pullara.
But life isn’t all about horsing-around for Pullara,
who enjoys other extra curricular activities. He
plays football (defensive tackle and center),
weight training, and baseball playing first base,
and left and right field.

His idol though, is his trainer Jim Lowe, owner
of Lowe Show Horse Centre in Somis, California,
near Los Angeles.
“He’s won so much and he’s such a good trainer,”
said Pullara. “He teaches me how to ride and he
trains the horses.”
Pullara’s dad, Chris, who got his first horse at age
four and said the entire family travels with his son
to all his competitions. He’s happy it’s taken his son
to new personal levels.
“It’s been phenomenal,” said Chris. “He spends
all his time with the horses and it’s taught him a
lot of discipline. He’s a hard-working son-of-agun! It gives him something to do and the
family to watch.”
While the family’s farm also includes three dogs,
one cat and a tortoise, Pullara said some of his
classmates are afraid of his thousand-pound pets,
and he gives advice on how to calm the nerves.
“If you’re afraid of them, they’ll be afraid of you.
They can sense it,” said Pullara, who’s endured
his share of falling off. “If I’m nervous, they’ll be
nervous. So just be calm and don’t freak out.
They’re not trying to hurt you.”
In addition to horses and sports, Pullara also enjoys
dirt bike riding, going to the movies and just plain
old hanging out with his friends, but when it comes
to horses, there’s no other thrill quite like it.
“The adrenaline and the fact that anything can
happen,” he said. “You have to think before the
horse thinks. It’s a lot of fun, I love it!” °

Veins, veins, go awayâ&#x20AC;Śdonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come again another day.
Dr. Robert Cushing received his undergraduate, medical school, and surgical residency training at the University of Michigan and served
as both a Staff Physician and Director at the CHOMP Emergency Department. For the last five years, he has specialized in Phlebology, the
diagnosis and treatment of vein disease. Vein care has undergone marked advances, which have increased the effectiveness and decreased
both the invasiveness and risk of treatments. Almost all vein care (including the treatment of spider, facial, hand, breast, and varicose veins,
venous insufficiency and ulcers) can now be safely accomplished in an office setting using local anesthesia. Dr. Cushing personally performs
all treatment procedures and is a member of the American College of Phlebology.

Robert Cushing, M.D.
(831) 646-8346

1

2

PACIFIC GROVE

An Evening with
Alison Eastwood

86

Photography by D.M. Troutman
A salute to her film directorial debut,
Alison Eastwoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s screening of Rails and
Ties concluded with audience questions
and answers and a formal reception.
1. Stephen Schareaux, Lisa Brown, Alison Eastwood,

reshaped the lakes
and shored up the
dock on the lower
lake. Tom Adcock of
Alco Water brought
in a line to supply
water. Fish and
Game worked with us to help design the lower
lake for fishing. We’ll stock it and offer programs to
all the kids in the community. It’ll be the only place
around here where young people can come and
learn to fish. The Salinas Valley Fly Fishers Association is partnering with us.
The upper lake will be more of an environmental
habitat. I’d like to see those lakes used, at times, as
biological classrooms.
CD You mentioned a vocational school. What will
that entail?

FEATURE

88

JP The next big piece we want to do is a large
vocational building. It’ll be called the Ted Taylor
Vocational Center and will cost about three million
dollars. We’ve raised almost half the money for
it already. Joanne Taylor-Johnson, whose family
founded and owned Fresh Express, has been
leading the charge.
We want to have a farm out here and grow our
own vegetables. The kids will learn to process
them in the vocational center, and then prepare
and serve them in the culinary school. We also plan
to have welding, fabrication, tractor mechanics
and a carpentry shop. The Taylor family and Taylor
Farms have made major contributions to this
project, along with the D’Arrigo family and Howard

Leach, the former ambassador to France. Between
those people, we have a commitment of about 1.3
million dollars towards our vocational school. I’m
hoping to have the culinary school open at the end
of this year and the vocational school open at the
end of next year.
CD How are the kids coming along? Any
success stories?
JP Success stories? We’ve got a lot of them.
Our latest statistics show a 57 percent reduction
in recidivism after six months and an 87 percent
reduction after one year. And we’re following
through on what the kids do after they’re done
here. A few have gone on to college; some are
going into the trades. I got one young man a job
at Salinas Steel Builders and he’s worked there for
a year and a half, doing excellent. He came and
spoke at our gymnasium opening.
We have job slots for kids when they leave here—
which no one else offers—and we want to expand
that. The D’Arrigo Brothers Company is setting up
an internship program. Don Chapin has hired some
of our people. We have a lot of connections that
give us good resources.
CD Thanks for talking with me. I hope this article
helps keep you visible.
JP We’re getting a lot more visibility than we ever
had before. People are realizing that the problem
of these young kids going the wrong way isn’t
necessarily just a police problem or the court’s
problem. It’s a problem for all of us. I’m seeing
more and more positive response from Peninsula
organizations and businesses. People are

starting to realize that we’ve been locking up our
workforce! They’re less inclined to try and isolate
the problem as “those kids over there,” and are
now saying, “Hey, this is our future generation.”
The concept of building more prisons and increasing the prison budget isn’t working. No one feels
any safer. And the prisons aren’t doing a very good
job of getting people trained so they can come out
and be productive members of society. It makes a
lot more sense to put money into programs early
on. And in the long run, it’s cheaper. °
You can learn more about Rancho Cielo by calling
(831) 444-3503, or visit their website at:
www.ranchocielosalinas.com

Citronelle

Meanwhile, his customers in the Citronelle’s nicely
appointed dining room enjoy the forest-like experience while they listen to haunting and enchanting
music with a strong European jazz flavor. The wait
staff are well-trained and service-oriented. Our
waiter, Brian, was solicitous and humorous at the
same time as he and the rest of the dining room
crew made sure our meal experience was seamless.
We found the menu contained no dishes that
one could call “ordinary.” We began with an
appetizer duo consisting of an escargot crumble
and a fascinating dish that looked like a quarter

Reflecting the playfulness of the menu, I enjoyed an
exquisite dessert dish labeled simply “Chocolate”
with a sub-title “Le Kit Kat Bar” while my wife took
great pleasure in a stand-alone Mango soufflé.

for a restaurant in the Keys before offering him the
Carmel Valley Ranch opportunity.
He enjoys biking and gardening and also loves
golf, which he doesn’t get much chance to play
despite working on the site of one of the better
courses in this golf-rich area. “I’m here from 9 a.m.
to 11 p.m.,” he says, “which just doesn’t leave time
for much of anything else.” °

Deep Family Roots
Interestingly, both Violi and Keene trace their roots
back to the hospitality business. Keene’s mother
ran a hotel in Ann Arbor, Michigan, while he was
growing up while Violi’s parents were the owners
of Violi’s Restaurant in Massena, NY. His two
brothers still own and operate that restaurant, which
has been in the same location for 60 years.
Violi has spent his entire career in the hospitality
business, the first 14 years after graduating from
Cornell working for the Hyatt chain, followed by six
years with Ritz-Carlton. He came to Citronelle from
a five-year stint running the Swissotel in Chicago.
A bachelor, Violi spends the vast majority of his time
tending to the Carmel Valley Ranch property and its
250 employees.
Keene began his career working for the RitzCarlton chain in D.C., Atlanta, Arizona, Hong Kong,
and finally at Laguna Nigel. After working at the
Ojai Valley Inn in Santa Barbara, Keene enjoyed
a four-year stint as chef on a private island in the
Florida Keys. It was there that LXR recruited him

89

While he is pledged to “avoiding excessive sauces,”
he knows and teaches that a key to successful
cooking is understanding how to build a sauce.
Starting with the right stock and knowing what
kind of dish the sauce will be served with, Keene
says, allows one’s creativity to play imaginatively
with taste combinations and is a great joy. “I like to
create excitement while I’m cooking good food,”
he says.

of a hard-boiled egg but which Brian assured us
was white mozzarella cheese wrapped around a
yellow tomato “yolk.” After asparagus soup and
abalone warm-ups, my wife ate the aforementioned
short ribs with great enthusiasm while I thoroughly
enjoyed a delicate Sable Fish prepared with a misobased sauce that was perfect for the seafood.

DINE

CONTINUED FROM PG 53

on the more traditional. For example,
Keene offers a
braised short rib
cooked for 72-hours
dish that he says
“eats like a filet.” (My
wife agreed with him after trying that dish.) He also
cooks the abalone that makes regular appearances
on the Citronelle menu for an hour and a half to
create a tender and moist alternative to the usual
quick-cook approach.

Life In A Two-Wheel Fastlane
CONTINUED FROM PG 30

They must sell more
than motorcycles,
they must sell their
store, their service
department, their
parts department,
even themselves…
People who buy John’s motorcycles buy into
the dealership and become like family. Bringing
your motorcycle in for repairs entitles you to an
introduction to the technician who will be working
on your bike.
Continual change is their only constant. Nobody in
this business ever outgrows the need to learn and
improve. Dealerships must keep adapting just to
stay even. It’s a different business now than it was
five years ago.

PERSONA

90

They’re not selling your grandfather’s motorcycles, or
even your older brother’s. Technology itself is always
moving forward. Advance is relentless because the
industry is continually reinventing itself. Every year
their plants, systems, materials, and designs raise the
technology bar; thus, marketing and sales programs
must evolve every year.
John had to learn to focus upon customer experiences more than any practical consideration. John
learned to capture customers’ energy, to sell them
dreams and visions.
At Monterey Peninsula Sports Center, the dealership is big, but it has heart. They will never
succumb to the temptation of becoming big box
retail. They remember who their customers are;
they remember the names of their regulars.

Instituting a practice called Customer Relationship Management, they keep in contact with their
customers, following up with and taking care of
them. John and his staff continue in various ways
to develop relationships that were formed at the
time of purchase.
Monterey Peninsula Sports Center has actually
become some customer’s Third Place where they
can drink coffee, share experiences, and engage
in some “bench racing.” John feels it’s a privilege
to share in other people’s enthusiasms. Talking
shop with these guys is a pleasant part of the
business, which is partly why they sponsor special
events called Bike Nights, complete with BBQ, a
band, and shop talk.
John’s customers actually represent a wide demographic range from younger sport bike enthusiasts
to more mature cruiser devotees. In light of the
current gas crisis, Peninsula residents are also
starting to get the idea of commute bikes. A Vespa
scooter might get 70 miles per gallon while some
of the smaller scooters might get 110 miles per
gallon. Some people who have never been motorcyclists are throwing off the shackles of the Ford
and GMC psychology.
On to the Future
Monterey Peninsula Sports Center is in a good
place but the fact remains that a business like
this demands constant attention. They’re always
thinking about what’s ahead and are moving into
an exciting and undifferentiated future. One of
John’s heroes, Wayne Huizenga, began with a
single garbage truck and grew his Waste Management service into the country’s largest waste
disposal company, and leveraged the company in
founding three Fortune 500 companies.

Following Huizenga’s business model, John plans
to acquire other underperforming dealerships,
make them profitable, and then sell them, leveraging profits for ever-more-ambitious acquisitions.
John is an ambitious 20-something-year-old who
has found it tough to be as young as he is and lead
such a sizable company — managing people who
are, in some cases, three times his age. He has
hidden his age, even grew a mustache and a beard
to look older.
Fast forward six years to today and John’s dad is
pleased with the results of his investment. Present
during the struggles and challenges, Dad is now
retired, but John consults with him. John never
imagined while growing up that he would have
such a phenomenal relationship with his father.
John doesn’t have much personal time but
manages to get away to Laguna Seca on some
days. He gets on his 170 HP Ducati 1098 Superbike
and on one of the straight-aways, when he’s hitting
140 MPH, caught up in the grace of the experience; he understands what ballet must be like.
It’s these times especially that John’s one with
the experience and becomes brother with their
customers. He’s with them and shares in their
passion for the power and freedom that motorcycles provide. °
To learn more about John and his Monterey
Peninsula Sports Center go to www.sports-center.
com, call 888-286-4890, email him at sales@
montereypotheyrsports.com, or visit him at 1020
Auto Center Parkway Seaside.